Alva man charged with child endangerment, assault
February 10, 2019
An Alva man has been charged with child endangerment and assault after an incident that was observed in a convenience store parking lot.
According to court records, on Dec. 24, 2018, at approximately 6:29 p.m. Alva Police Officer Kaleb Keplinger was dispatched along with Officer Sean Farris to a report of a domestic assault in progress in a dark colored Ford Expedition at Love’s Convenience Store.
When he arrived Keplinger saw a dark colored Ford Explorer backing out of a parking space. He commanded the driver to stop the vehicle and shut off the engine. He observed five juveniles unsecured and without proper child restraints in the second and third rows of seats along with an adult female. He saw that the front passenger seat was unoccupied.
Keplinger spoke with Madison Wallace, the backseat adult passenger while Farris detained the driver, James Paul Sowter. Wallace stated that Sowter got really drunk and was slamming Brittany Sowter’s head against the vehicle. She told Sowter to slow down, and he slammed on the brakes. Wallace said she told Sowter he had five kids in the vehicle and pulled his leg off the gas pedal. She then convinced him to pull over into the Love’s parking lot.
The juveniles said Sowter was driving really fast and got mad so he stopped quick. They said a log hit one of the juveniles in the rear of the vehicle causing abrasions and bruising to the child’s back. The juveniles further stated that Sowter grabbed Brittany by the neck and throat and pulled her from the vehicle and then slammed her against the vehicle, and then he started to drive off.
Wallace, who said she is Sowter’s sister, said Brittany was inside Love’s in the restroom. Keplinger found Brittany who said she is Sowter’s wife. Keplinger observed cuts and scratch marks on Brittany’s neck along with bruises to the arm, upper chest and face.
Brittany told Keplinger that Sowter pushed her in the ditch with the car earlier in the night in an attempt to run her over with the vehicle. She stated they had both been drinking.
While collecting her identification information, Brittany provided her phone number sand said it was her number as long as she is allowed to answer it. She said Sowter is possessive and controlling and it is easier if she doesn’t answer her phone.
Brittany said she is in fear for her and her children’s lives, and it depends on the day whether she believes Sowter will follow through with the threats to kill her and her children. She said he has been in a mental institution in Larned, Kansas, for threats about killing himself.
Officer Farris observed Sowter to have red bloodshot and watery eyes, an unsteady gait, thickly slurred speech and the odor commonly associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages on or about his person. Sowter was searched incident to arrest. His right front pocket was found to contain a baggie with a green leafy substance that was identified as marijuana.
An assessment was made of Sowter by a behavioral health specialist who deemed him in need of inpatient mental health care. He was transported to Fort Supply behavioral health center.
On Feb. 6, James Paul Sowter, 29, of Alva, was charged with child endangerment by driving under the influence, a felony. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to four years and/or a fine of $5,000.
He was also charged with a misdemeanor of domestic assault and battery in the presence of minors. This crime is punishable for not less than six months nor more than one year, and/or by a fine of up to $5,000.
Reader Comments(0)